$165,000 awarded to Dr. Hussein Ghazale, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Carol Schuurmans’s lab at Sunnybrook Research Institute
Direct neuronal reprogramming is a new technology that allows researchers to convert cells from one type to another. In the past, this type of cellular programming was only achievable when using stem cells as a starting point. Now researchers can take an already differentiated cell, such as an astrocyte, and covert it to what is called an induced Neuron (iNeuron).
Using a mouse model of ALS, Dr. Ghazale will attempt to convert astrocytes within the motor cortex to a specific type of neuron, called a GABAergic interneuron, using a viral gene delivery system. Previous studies have shown that activation of these GABAergic neurons helps to preserve motor function in mice. Additionally, astrocytes have been shown to become reactive in ALS, releasing toxic factors that may contribute to disease progression. The hope is that by reducing the potentially toxic astrocyte population, and increasing the number of helpful interneurons, this technique may be able to delay ALS progression.
Dr. Ghazale will examine how effective the neuronal reprogramming technique is in both a mouse and human cerebral organoid model of ALS. If successful, this technique could represent a promising new avenue to explore for disease modeling, drug screening and therapeutic development in ALS.